Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lever apparatus for an electronic shift system, and, more particularly, to a lever apparatus for an electronic shift system, which is configured for realizing an electronic shift function, an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) function, and an auto hold function using one lever.
Description of Related Art
Generally, in a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission, a gearshift may be automatically switched to a target gear position by controlling hydraulic pressure within a set transmission range according to the traveling speed of the vehicle.
The automatic transmission generates a gear ratio using a hydraulic circuit, a planetary gear, and friction elements, for change of speed, and these components are controlled by a Transmission Control Unit (TCU).
A SBW (shift by wire) system is an electronic shift system for the vehicle, in which a transmission is not connected to a shift lever by a mechanical mechanism, such as cables, as in an existing mechanical shift system. In the SBW system, when a sensor value generated by the operation of an electronic shift lever or a button is transmitted to a TCU, a solenoid or an electric motor is operated in response to electronic signals commanded by the TCU, and a hydraulic pressure is applied to a hydraulic circuit for each gear stage or the hydraulic pressure applied thereto is blocked by the operation of the solenoid or the electric motor, thereby allowing transmission control to be electronically performed.
An automatic transmission based on SBW transfers a driver's intention to shift gears to a TCU as an electric signal through the simple operation of an electronic shift lever or a button. Accordingly, the automatic transmission has an advantage of more easily shifting a gear to a drive (D) range, a reverse (R) range, a neutral (N) range, or a parking (P) range. In addition, the automatic transmission has an advantage of securing a large space between a driver seat and a passenger seat by reducing the size of the shift lever.
Meanwhile, in existing vehicle having electronic shift systems, a shift lever for realizing electronic shift functions (R, N, and D), an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) button for operating an electronic parking brake, and an auto hold button are separately provided at positions (console) adjacent to a driver seat. Accordingly, this structure is disadvantageous to the layout of an internal space, and may increase the number of parts and costs.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.